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What is the Iditarod? | AK Explained

http://www.alaskapublic.org/ How long does the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race take to finish? Where

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What is the Iditarod? | AK Explained... - SafeShare

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http://www.alaskapublic.org/ How long does the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race take to finish? Where Launched as a beta version in 2009, SafeShare has gained popularity as the safest way to watch and share YouTube and Vimeo videos, and is widely used all around the globe by educators so their students can watch educational material without the fear of inappropriate videos showing up.

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You can't compare it to any other competitive event in the world! A race covering 1000 miles of the roughest, most beautiful terrain Mother Nature has to offer. She throws jagged mountain ranges, frozen river, dense forest, desolate tundra and miles of windswept coast at the mushers and their dog teams. Add to that temperatures far below zero, winds that can cause a complete loss of visibility, the hazards of overflow, long hours of darkness and treacherous climbs and side hills, and you have the Iditarod. A race extraordinaire, a race only possible in Alaska.

From Anchorage, in south central Alaska, to Nome on the western Bering Sea coast.

It has been called the Last Great Race on Earth and it has won worldwide acclaim and interest. American film crews as well as film crews from around the world have covered the event. Journalists from outdoor magazines, adventure magazines, newspapers and wire services flock to Anchorage and Nome to record the excitement. It's not just a sled dog race, it's a race in which unique men and women compete. Mushers enter from all walks of life. Fishermen, lawyers, doctors, miners, artists, natives, Canadians, Swiss, French, and others. Men and women each with their own story, each with their own reasons for going the distance. Hundreds of volunteers, men and women, students, and village residents all help to organize and stage the event. They man headquarters at Wasilla, Anchorage, and Nome. They fly volunteers, veterinarians, dog food, and supplies. They act as checkers, coordinators, and family supporters of each musher.

The Spirit of Alaska! More Than a Race

The race pits man and animal against nature, against wild Alaska at her best and as each mile is covered, it is a tribute to Alaska's history and the role the sled dog's played. The Iditarod is a tie to that colorful past.

The Iditarod Trail, now a National Historic Trail, had its beginnings as a mail and supply route from the coastal towns of Seward and Knik to the interior mining camps at Flat, Ophir, Ruby and beyond to the west coast communities of Unalakleet, Elim, Golovin, White Mountain, and Nome. Mail and supplies went in. Gold came out. All via dog sled. Heroes were made, legends were born. In 1925, part of the Iditarod Trail became a life saving highway for epidemic-stricken Nome. Diphtheria threatened and serum had to be brought in; again by intrepid dog mushers and their faithful hard-driving dogs. Throughout the years, the sled dogs were important to day to day life in the villages and throughout Alaska. All of these examples and more are a part of Alaska's history.
Redington had two reasons for organizing the long-distance Iditarod Race: to save the sled dog culture and Alaskan huskies, which were being phased out of existence due to the introduction of snowmobiles in Alaska; and to preserve the historical Iditarod Trail between Seward and Nome. These reasons were his life's work.
The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race has over time grown and helped to accomplish the goals that Joe Redington Sr. lived.

On the Iditarod Trail

Anchorage is the starting line. From there, the field of dog teams run 11 miles. After a restart in the Matanuska Valley, the mushers leave the land of highways and bustling activity and head out to the Yentna Station Roadhouse, Skwentna and then up through Finger Lake, Rainy Pass, over the Alaska Range and down the other side to the Kuskokwim River - into the interior and on to the mighty Yukon - a river highway that takes the teams west through the arctic tundra.

The race route is alternated every other year, one year going north through Cripple, Ruby and Galena, the next year south through Iditarod, Shageluk, and Anvik.

Finally, they're on the coast - Unalakleet, Shaktoolik, Koyuk, Elim, Golovin, White Mountain and into Nome where a hero's welcome is the custom for musher number 1 or 61!

The route encompasses large metropolitan areas and small native villages. It causes a yearly spurt of activity, increased airplane traffic and excitement to areas otherwise quiet and dormant during the long Alaskan winter. Everyone gets involved, from very young school children to the old timers who relive the colorful Alaskan past they've known as they watch each musher and his team. The race is an educational opportunity and an economic stimulus to these small Alaskan outposts.

Putting on a 1,000 Mile Event

It takes so much more than a field of willing mushers and anxious sled dogs to run the Iditarod Trail Race. With an annual budget of almost two million dollars, the Iditarod Trail Committee depends on a hard working force of volunteers and supporters to raise the necessary money all year around. An annual sweepstakes is held. Various items are sold at fairs and benefits. Banquets are planned in both Anchorage and Nome. This volunteer force and the loyal supporters from both the private and business sector make the race possible each year.

Information headquarters are set up in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Nome, and Wasilla during the race to disseminate information and race standings to the public. Volunteers man each of the 20+ checkpoints, some of whom spend their vacations on the trail. A complex communications net is set up that covers the course offering logistical support, emergency communications and an information source for race officials. The Iditarod Air Force is a fleet of small privately owned bush planes flown by volunteers, shuttling dog food and mushers' supplies to each checkpoint, moving veterinarians and race officials up and down the trail and hauling tired dropped dogs back to the major pick up points. A group of veterinarians from all over the United States, and sometimes even from Europe, take time out from their busy practices to assist with dog care duties along the trail. Trail breakers on snow machines proceed the field of mushers, cutting trail, marking trail, and packing trail in windswept areas, trying to give each team a safe path to follow.

Without these volunteers, there wouldn't be a race. Their efforts save the committee thousands of dollars which would be impossible to raise. Their dedication and involvement is what this truly Alaskan event is all about.

What is an IditaRider?

An IditaRider auction is held each year where fans can bid to be a rider in a mushers' sled from the start line for the first 11 miles. This auction opens on December 1 and closes at a specific time and date in January each year. The money raised is used to offset expenses of the race and to provide each musher who finishes the race after the top 20 (who receive cash prize winnings), with $1,049. This helps the mushers get their teams home.
Iditarod Trail Committee Mailing Address
Iditarod Trail Committee

2100 S. Knik-Goose Bay Road

Wasilla, AK 99654
Phone Room: (907) 248-MUSH (6874) RACE WEEK ONLY!

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You can't compare it to any other competitive event in the world! A race covering 1000 miles of the roughest, most beautiful terrain Mother Nature has to offer.

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How a Diphtheria Outbreak Spawned the Iditarod

Each year, mushers drive a pack of 16 dogs through the rough wilderness between Anchorage and Nome

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How a Diphtheria Outbreak Spawned the Idit... - SafeShare

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Each year, mushers drive a pack of 16 dogs through the rough wilderness between Anchorage and Nome Launched as a beta version in 2009, SafeShare has gained popularity as the safest way to watch and share YouTube and Vimeo videos, and is widely used all around the globe by educators so their students can watch educational material without the fear of inappropriate videos showing up.

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Alaska is home of hardcore adventurists. From crab fishermen to bush pilots, people here know that danger and excitement are a natural part of life. So what do they do for fun? Well, many Alaskans hitch up their dogs and take a sled ride for 40 or 50 miles across windswept tundra. These sleds are not the lounging Santa sleighs, either. The mushers stand on the sled the whole time, steering the dogs away from dangers or distractions.

Once a year, these diehard athletes come together and race their dogs along a course that spans over 1,100 miles. The Iditarod is widely known as one of the most difficult races in the world, but that's not including the years of training the mushers and dogs go through just to qualify. We've laid out major aspects of the training experience both for the mushers and the dogs. If you see a musher with their dog team on your next trip to Alaska, be sure to strike up a conversation about the training. You're sure to be impressed!

Click here to view it full size.

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How to Train Your Dog (And Musher) for The Iditarod - Princess Lodges

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The Iditarod is one of the most difficult races in the world, but that's not including the training the mushers and dogs go through just to qualify.

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The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is the world's premier long-distance sled-dog race. Called the Last Great Race on Earth, it covers more than 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) of rugged terrain between the Alaskan cities of Anchorage and Nome.

Between 70 and 90 teams compete in the Iditarod every year. Each team has one driver, called the musher, and 12 to 16 dogs. Mushers direct the dogs using verbal commands. The dogs that compete in the Iditarod are usually Alaskan huskies. They are bred for endurance, and they can trot at a steady pace for great distances. The lead dog, as the name suggests, is positioned at the front of the team. It is very intelligent and quick to obey the musher's commands. The wheel dogs are positioned directly in front of the sled. The team dogs make up the middle of the group.

The race begins in Anchorage on the first Saturday in March. The course alternates every other year between a northern route and a southern route. Teams chase each other over mountain ranges, along frozen rivers, and through remote Native Alaskan villages. Temperatures can reach −40°F (−40°C). Sometimes teams encounter wild animals such as moose, bison, caribou, or wolf.

During the race, teams are required to stop at about two dozen checkpoints along the route. At certain checkpoints, teams are required to rest for 8 or 24 hours. A volunteer checker notes the team's time of arrival and departure. A veterinarian inspects each dog to ensure it is getting enough food, water, and rest. Any musher who does not provide proper care for his or her dogs is penalized or withdrawn from the race. The dogs wear special booties to protect their feet from sharp ice.

Since 1995, the winners have reached the finish line in Nome in less than ten days. Every musher who finishes the race receives a cash award. The first-place finisher receives the highest amount. This can be as much as $70,000. There are also awards for Rookie of the Year, best sportsmanship, and outstanding lead dog of the race.

The list of Iditarod champions includes men and women alike. Rick Swenson is the only person to win five times (1977, 1979, 1981-82, 1991). Lance Mackey was the first to win four times in a row (2007-10). Libby Riddles was the first woman to win the race (1985). The most successful female competitor was Susan Butcher. She was a four-time champion (1986-88, 1990). The fastest racer was Dallas Seavey. With his lead dogs Reef and Tide, he finished the 2016 race in 8 days, 11 hours, 20 minutes, and 16 seconds. It was Seavey's third win in a row. In 2012 he was the youngest winner, at the age of 25. In 2013 Seavey's father, Mitch, became the oldest champion, at the age of 53. A special award is reserved for the last-place finisher: the Red Lantern Award. The slowest musher in Iditarod history was John Schultz. He took more than 32 days to finish the race in 1973.

The Junior Iditarod is a race for youths between the ages of 14 and 17. First run in 1978, it is held each February on a portion of the Iditarod route. The course is about 150 miles (240 kilometers) long. The first-place finisher is awarded a trophy and a scholarship. Other top finishers receive a scholarship.

The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race was first run in 1973. Its route follows the Iditarod National Historic Trail. This trail was used in the early 1900's by Alaska Natives, prospectors, freight and mail carriers, and other winter travelers using dogsleds. Today the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management oversees the 2,200 miles (3,540 kilometers) of winter trails associated with the Iditarod.

Reviewed by
Tricia Brown
Author
Iditarod Fact Book: A Complete Guide to the Last Great Race

SOURCE: The New Book of Knowledge

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The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is the world's premier long-distance sled-dog race. Called the Last Great Race on Earth, it covers more than 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) of rugged terrain between the Alaskan cities of Anchorage and Nome. Between 70 and 90 teams compete in the Iditarod every year.

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Iditarod Sled Packing

http://www.SPKDogLog.com -- See what gets packed in an Iditarod sled at SP Kennel, Two Rivers, Alas

Launched as a beta version in 2009, SafeShare has gained popularity as the safest way to watch and share YouTube and Vimeo videos, and is widely used all around the globe by educators so their students can watch educational material without the fear of inappropriate videos showing up.

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http://www.SPKDogLog.com -- See what gets packed in an Iditarod sled at SP Kennel, Two Rivers, Alas Launched as a beta version in 2009, SafeShare has gained popularity as the safest way to watch and share YouTube and Vimeo videos, and is widely used all around the globe by educators so their students can watch educational material without the fear of inappropriate videos showing up.

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Hold tight! Take a wild sled dog ride with 4-time Iditarod champ Jeff King

The 2014 Iditarod trail includes some of the toughest mushing in the history of the race, veterans

Launched as a beta version in 2009, SafeShare has gained popularity as the safest way to watch and share YouTube and Vimeo videos, and is widely used all around the globe by educators so their students can watch educational material without the fear of inappropriate videos showing up.

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Hold tight! Take a wild sled dog ride with... - SafeShare

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The 2014 Iditarod trail includes some of the toughest mushing in the history of the race, veterans Launched as a beta version in 2009, SafeShare has gained popularity as the safest way to watch and share YouTube and Vimeo videos, and is widely used all around the globe by educators so their students can watch educational material without the fear of inappropriate videos showing up.

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In 2012, Brent Sass won Rookie of the Year at the Iditarod, one of the planet’s most extreme competitions. The dog musher, who’s run almost a dozen 1,000-mile races, knows the right gear can mean the difference between life and death. These are the items he deems worthy of going on his sled.